Ranjitkar – Traditional Fabric Dyers of Nepal

The word Ranjitkar refers to people who work with color and is the name of a historic caste in Nepal. There is not much documented about the Ranjitkar in ancient times, but they are mentioned in Jayasthiti Malla’s declaration of the castes and sculptures from those times, as they were known for their talent to create magnificent colors through dyeing techniques. Today, a little more is known of this mysterious group, and small groups of Ranjitkars are still present in modern Nepal, although they too have adjusted their lifestyle, as most have, to grow with the changing times.